What is a Computer? -- Computing in Early Civilizations -- Foundations of Computing -- The First Digital Computers -- The First Commercial Computers -- Early Commercial Computers and the Invention of the Transistor -- The Invention of the Integrated Circuit and the Birth of Silicon Valley -- The IBM System/360 -- Minicomputers and Later Mainframes -- The Microprocessor Revolution -- Home Computers -- The IBM Personal Computer -- A Short History of Telecommunications -- The Internet Revolution -- The Smartphone and Social Media -- History of Programming Languages -- History of Operating Systems -- History of Software Engineering -- History of Artificial Intelligence -- History of Databases.

Tracing the story of computing from Babylonian counting boards to smartphones, this inspiring textbook/reference provides a concise overview of the key events in the history of computing, together with discussion exercises to stimulate deeper investigation into this fascinating area. Topics and features: Provides chapter introductions, summaries and key topics, as well as review questions and a glossary Includes an introduction to analogue and digital computers, and to the foundations of computing Examines the contributions of the ancient Babylonian, Egyptian, Greek, Roman, and Islamic civilisations to the field of computing Covers the first digital computers, and the earliest examples of commercial computers, mainframes and minicomputers Describes the invention and early development of the integrated circuit and the microprocessor Reviews the emergence of home computers, and the introduction of the IBM personal computer Discusses the technological revolutions initiated by the creation of the Internet, the invention of the smartphone, and the rise of social media Presents a short history of telecommunications, programming languages, operating systems, software engineering, artificial intelligence, and databases This engaging and easy-to-read work serves as an introductory textbook for students of computer science interested in the historical basis of the field. The curious reader will also find the book to be ideal as a self-study primer on the origins of the fundamental theory and early applications of the technology which has now become ubiquitous in modern society.